South African referees Akhona Makalima and Abongile Tom have been selected to be part of the 26 match officials, who are going to officiate at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
The tournament, which is hosted by Ivory Coast, is set to begin on Saturday, 13 January, and will come to an end a month later.
This is going to be the 35-year-old Makalima’s second biggest tournament having officiated at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Makalima from Ngqamakhwe in the Eastern Cape is going to be one of the 12 officials to work as video assistant referees.
Meanwhile, Tom is an award-winning whistleman, who works as a crime analyst at the SAPS in Cape Town. The 31-year-old Tom, who was born in Tlokoeng in the Eastern Cape, won the 2018/19 Referee of the Season award.
